The present disclosure relates generally to the field of displays. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to systems for and methods of reducing reflections from displays (e.g. display assemblies).
Displays are utilized in a wide variety of applications including but not limited to applications for aviation, targeting, travel, navigation, medical procedures, and diagnostics. Conventional displays are often provided in an assembly including a display element (e.g., an emissive display element, such as, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display element, a plasma element, etc., or a transmissive display element, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD)). One exemplary display assembly, an LCD display assembly, includes a liquid crystal layer disposed between a pair of polarizers, a pair of orientation layers and a pair of electrodes. Conventional display assemblies can also include one or more additional optical layers and/or optical components.
A conventional display assembly can emit light (e.g., stray light) which is reflected off surfaces in the environment of the display assembly. Reflected light from the display assembly can interfere with or obstruct the sight of personnel in the environment. For example, in an avionic cockpit environment, the images on the display assembly can be reflected off the canopy or windscreen of the aircraft (e.g., airplane, fighter, helicopter, etc.) and can disturb a pilot's outside view, especially in low visibility situations (e.g., at night, at dawn, at dusk, etc.). According to another example, images from the display in an automobile can be reflected off the windshield or window of the automobile and obstruct the driver's view or distract the driver. Larger displays are more susceptible to reflections associated with stray light from the display.
Therefore, there is a need for a display which reduces distractive reflections in an environment, such as a cockpit or vehicle. Further, there is a need for a display assembly which reduces canopy reflections by controlling light characteristics emitted from the display assembly. Yet further, there is a need for an LCD configured for reduced reflections in an environment including a canopy or a windshield. Still further, there is a need for a system for and method of reducing reflections from a display while allowing the viewer to have a large head motion box. Further still, there is a need for a system for and method of reducing reflections off a side window and/or off a canopy.